Mineralpedia Details for Maricopaite

Named for its type locality in the Moon Anchor mine in Maricopa County in Arizona, USA. Maricopaite occurs only at its type locality and is found in hydrothermal lead-copper ore veins as coating and filling fractures within quartz. Associated minerals include cerussite, mimetite, fornaceite, phoenicochroite, duftite, chrysocolla, wickenburgite, calcite, fluorite, and quartz.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/maricopaite.pdf

Formula

Ca₂Pb₇(Si₃₆Al₁₂)O₉₉·n(H₂O,OH) 

Crystal System

Orthorhombic 

Crystal Habit

Radial 

Cleavage

Imperfect, None, None 

Luster

Vitreous - Silky 

Color

white 

Streak

white 

Class

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal 

Fracture

Friable 

Hardness

1-1.5 

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Thin, white, silky splintery crystals to 2mm or more as singles and smaller, somewhat stellate groups to less than 1mm with associated orange Mimetite. Maricopaite is a zeolite-like mineral and has a structure closely related to Mordenite. Mineral data sites out there classify Maricopaite from a zeolite - Tektosilicate to a layered phyllosilicate. One locality mineral from a single quartz vein with other secondary minerals from arsenates, chromates, carbonates to silicates.